Plant care
Large-Leaf Lycastetemperature & humidity
Lycaste macrophylla
More about large-leaf lycaste
Ideal temperature for large-leaf lycaste
Aim for 14–28°C (night min 14°C, day max 28°C) (57–82°F (night min 57°F, day max 82°F)) on the thermostat and you've handled the easy part. The hard part is the half-metre around the plant: window glass that drops to near-freezing on a January night, a radiator pumping out hot dry air, a draught from an opened front door. Move the plant 30 cm and you've usually fixed the problem. Below roughly 14°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Large-Leaf Lycaste is frost-tender (USDA 10b–12, RHS H1b). It cannot survive a frost, so in most of the US and UK it lives indoors year-round or summers outside and comes back in well before the first autumn frost — once nights drop toward 10-12°C is the cue, not the first frost warning. Acclimate it over a week when moving between indoors and out so the leaves do not shock.
Humidity for large-leaf lycaste
Large-Leaf Lycaste sits happiest at around 70–85% relative humidity. This species demands higher humidity than many Lycastes, reflecting its wet-forest origin with annual rainfall of 1,500–4,000 mm. Use a humidifier or well-ventilated greenhouse. Pair high humidity with good airflow to prevent Botrytis. The usual low-humidity tell is crisp brown leaf tips and edges while the soil moisture is fine — a sign the air, not the watering, is the problem. If you need to raise it, the reliable methods are grouping plants together, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (the pot above the waterline, never in it), or running a small humidifier in winter when indoor heating dries the air most. Misting is the least effective — it raises humidity for minutes, not hours.
Large-Leaf Lycaste temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for large-leaf lycaste?
Large-Leaf Lycaste grows best between 14–28°C (night min 14°C, day max 28°C) (57–82°F (night min 57°F, day max 82°F)). Keep it out of cold draughts, off freezing windowsills in winter, and away from the hot dry air directly above radiators — the extremes matter far more than the average room temperature.
How cold can large-leaf lycaste tolerate?
Large-Leaf Lycaste starts to suffer below roughly 14°C. It is frost-tender and will be damaged or killed by a frost, so bring it indoors once nights fall toward 10-12°C.
What humidity does large-leaf lycaste need?
Large-Leaf Lycaste prefers about 70–85% relative humidity. This species demands higher humidity than many Lycastes, reflecting its wet-forest origin with annual rainfall of 1,500–4,000 mm. Use a humidifier or well-ventilated greenhouse. Pair high humidity with good airflow to prevent Botrytis.
How do I raise humidity for large-leaf lycaste?
Group it with other plants, stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (kept above the waterline), or run a small humidifier in winter. Misting only helps for a few minutes, so it is the weakest option for a plant that genuinely needs more humidity.
Can large-leaf lycaste live outside?
Large-Leaf Lycaste is rated for USDA zone 10b–12 and RHS hardiness H1b. Outside that range it must come indoors before the first frost — treat any outdoor stint as a summer holiday, not a permanent home.
More large-leaf lycaste care
In the UK? Keeping large-leaf lycaste warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full large-leaf lycaste care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.